Eastern Ratsnake

What is the Eastern Ratsnake?

When approached, Eastern Ratsnakes
may emit an unpleasant odour or make a rattling sound - even though these
snakes do not have rattles!

Adult Eastern Ratsnakes grow to 1.5-1.8 metres long. Although admittedly
impressive and somewhat intimidating, they are not venomous.

Adults are most often shiny black with a whitish chin and throat. Juveniles
have a blotchy pattern and are paler than adults, becoming darker with age.

Eastern Ratsnakes are good tree climbers. Their diet consists mainly of bird
eggs and nestlings, insects and small mammals no larger than a grey squirrel.

The natural predators
of ratsnakes include mink, hawks, coyotes and racoons.

In Canada, individual ratsnakes can live as long as 25-30 years. Eastern
ratsnakes reproduce at a rather slow rate and, in fact, only reach sexual
maturity at 10-12 years of age. Females lay their eggs only every other year.

The species' preferred habitat
is woodland edges, where deciduous forest meets open habitat such as fields, clearings and ponds. Ratsnakes
are also found in and around abandoned buildings, which provide food and shelter.

Ratsnakes, like all snakes, are cold-blooded animals so many of their habits
are geared to finding a suitable temperature. For example:

To keep their eggs warm, Eastern Ratsnakes lay their clutch in decaying
vegetation or manure piles.

To survive the winter, this species gather in underground cavities (hibernacula)
below the frost line

In the spring and fall in particular, Eastern Ratsnakes look for warm,
sunny spots such as tree trunks and roads for basking.

Although these habits are essential to the Eastern Ratsnakes's survival,
they can also make the species more vulnerable to certain dangers.